Anderson teacher arrested on child solicitation charge

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ANDERSON, Ind. (June 10, 2015) - A high school science teacher in Anderson is off the job, facing a child solicitation charge.

Anderson police found out about the allegations in late May. Tuesday morning, Patrick Kevin Porter, 60, surrendered to authorities after a warrant was issued for his arrest. Police allege inappropriate conversations with an underage student at Liberty Christian School started in December of 2014 and went on until March of 2015.

It was inside Liberty Christian School in Anderson where police said Porter's relationship with the young girl took shape. Investigators in a statement said he'd tell the girl she was beautiful, had a good smile and dressed nicely.

Porter told police it all began with conversations before and after class but ended up centering around sexually explicit emails and texts.

His bio remained on the school's website as of Wednesday afternoon, showing he'd been employed since 2012.

Anderson Police said Porter fully cooperated with search warrants and later admitted in a statement to having an inappropriate relationship with the girl.

Porter bonded out of jail after his arrest. Nobody answered the door at his Pendleton home on Wednesday night.

A parent told us Porter's wife recently died, and online records show she died this spring from cancer.

A no-contact order's been issued in the case. Porter's attorney did not return our call.

Liberty Christian School released a statement to the school community which reads in part:

On May 22nd, 2015, Secondary Principal Stacy Scott received evidence that appeared to support an allegation that a member of our faculty, Mr. Kevin Porter, had engaged in inappropriate electronic communication with a teenaged girl. The information Mr. Scott received was immediately reported to appropriate child welfare and police agencies.

Based on on-going communication with the investigating officers, Liberty officials were asked to not discuss with Mr. Porter at that time the allegations which had been made.

In light of the evidence presented to school officials, he is being terminated from employment by Liberty Christian School, effective immediately.

We ask that you speak with your secondary-aged children to guide them in what will doubtlessly be a difficult discussion for them.